Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Possible bent control arm


  Email This Post



Grumpygrandpa
User

Mar 10, 2013, 1:22 PM

Post #1 of 14 (3544 views)
Possible bent control arm Sign In

Camber trouble. I am having issues getting camber back after son ran through ditch. Came home with extreme neg. camber as well as extreme toe out also (tires were screeching) took apart entire suspension (pass) side to see what was bent or broke. Could not find anything out that much. Was able to adjust toe back but can't find why it went so far. All ball joints are good. Replaced upper control arm but no help it is a 2 piece. Possible inner arm bent. Is it maybe a combination of a little bit of bend on all adding up. Lower control arm looks good. Should I just keep throwing parts at it till I get it. Going to replace upper arm with 1 piece and add camber adj kit. Vehicle is 97 merc. Mountaineer AWD 5 liter v8 with 179k miles. Appreciate your help.


Sidom
Veteran / Moderator
Sidom profile image

Mar 10, 2013, 2:39 PM

Post #2 of 14 (3529 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Some pieces in the frt end can get bent and it's very hard to see by eye......In some cases you need look at the parts real close with a light for signs of stress....You can get a straight end, take measurements & compare those to a known good piece....The other side of the car?

If you are able to get alignment specs on the vehicle......You can take SAI & Include angle reading to help you narrow down where the problem is....

For example....If you have a bent spindle/hub...The SAI will be in specs but the Included angle will be off........


(This post was edited by Sidom on Mar 10, 2013, 2:41 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 10, 2013, 3:43 PM

Post #3 of 14 (3518 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

I would take a real hard look at the knuckle where it attaches on top.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Grumpygrandpa
User

Mar 10, 2013, 4:05 PM

Post #4 of 14 (3507 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Thanks gonna try 2 get specs. Looked for stress marks thinking if wheel was that far out of wack something should show. I am assuming a cumulative effect of a little here and there. Got it drivable for now. Next couple days back at it. Thanks for help will let you know outcome


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 10, 2013, 4:15 PM

Post #5 of 14 (3500 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

With both tires on, compare the gap between the top side of the tire and the arm connected to the upper control arm and see if the gap is larger on one side than the other to indicate a bent knuckle.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Grumpygrandpa
User

Mar 10, 2013, 5:33 PM

Post #6 of 14 (3493 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Thanks that is the only thing I didn't think of. Not sure how these forums work just yet cause I'm new to it but I think I will be spending some time here. Thank you 4 your help


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Mar 11, 2013, 9:29 AM

Post #7 of 14 (3475 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

No, a steering knuckle off a f-150 isn't the same as yours.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


Grumpygrandpa
User

Mar 11, 2013, 10:43 AM

Post #8 of 14 (3468 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Sorry about the other ? Did measure the distances and there is a 1/2" difference from rim to top mount. However top to frame is the same which leads me to think hub mount is bent. Going to check it out. Also gonna check q a area so I don't do that again. Thank you for your help.


Grumpygrandpa
User

Mar 11, 2013, 10:58 AM

Post #9 of 14 (3467 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

I think the hub might be bent. I was looking for knuckles for mountaineer and kept coming up empty. References kept coming back to ford. I posted question wrong place. It doesn't look like knuckle but if it is any advise where to find one. I tried used parts also


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 11, 2013, 2:17 PM

Post #10 of 14 (3460 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Look for an Explorer 4WD not an F150



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
nickwarner profile image

Mar 11, 2013, 4:42 PM

Post #11 of 14 (3455 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Call M&M Motors in Hemingway. They have 6 of them. I looked up the right side, your post didn't specify which side was banged up. But they are the closest to you. Case Used Parts and Swamp Fox Parts in Marion are a close second.

I looked that up on www.car-part.com if that helps you. They are like google for used parts and have linked up to salvage yards nationwide. They can look into the inventory for yards that allow access to their system.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 15, 2013, 5:33 PM

Post #12 of 14 (3421 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Just my 2 cents again: Bent or damaged front end (tons of others around a vehicle too) don't fix - toss for new or well known good used. Too important,

T



Grumpygrandpa
User

Mar 17, 2013, 4:31 PM

Post #13 of 14 (3397 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Hey all that helped. Just to say thanks to all and to a great forum was able to resolve problem. Combination upper control arm and knuckle just finished alignment and all is well. Leave it to a teenager to wreck stuff. Just after this he totaled his moms car but that worked out good. Just wanted to say thanks and you have an awsome forum


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 19, 2013, 6:09 PM

Post #14 of 14 (3376 views)
Re: Possible bent control arm Sign In

Glad you are all set. Just once went to the scene when a control arm AND ball joint fell off! Yikes! Wheel laying over on its hub cap!!!!!! Egad. Careful out there,

Tom







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap